Opinions on these "Pay to play" offers that are going on.

My band's on some sites like Reverb Nation and occasionally we get things coming round saying "PERSON X IS LOOKING FOR A NEW BAND TO SIGN! PAY $1M AND YOU MIGHT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LICK HIS SHOES" (as you might have guessed i'm not keen on these things.)

I just wondered if anyone has ever actually taken up an offer like this and their experience from it? Is it just me being cynical?

This has been said countless times, and somebody will inevitably wheel out the "calls the Musicians' Union; is told to call the Plumbers' Union" joke, but as a musician, you are providing a service. Any other service provider could reasonably demand to be paid for his/her time, whereas we are left asking - often, paying - for the privilege to play in your venue, thank you very much, sir.

The trouble is, venues, promoters, etc., have us over a barrel. The moment we say "oh, and it will cost you this much," so many of them know they can show us the door because there will be a bunch of fresh-faced teenagers who've just formed their first band and are so desperately keen to play, (not to mention still believing that this will be their springboard to super-stardom) that they'll happily do the gig for free.

I have been giving occasional thought to how feasible and how effective it might be to organise a general musicians' strike. Boycott any gigs that are pay-to-play for a couple of weeks and see if they change their tune. I don't know whether it would work, though...

+1. I would NEVER, repeat NEVER, pay some venue to allow my band to play there.

Let them buy a jukebox or have an open mike night (which is another way for the venue to get free musicians, which I would never do.) or get some wanna-be's to pay them for the "honor" of playing there.

I don't mind playing for free if the situation is right (like a charity, donation for a good cause, something worthwhile that I can get behind).

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+1

The only time I see it as reasonable to play for free (not PAY, mind you, but play for free) is like you state up there Bay. If some lazy yahoo at a bar just wants free live music, he can get up there and play it himself.

Never encountered this particular situation, but we've played a few shows, mainly battle of the bands, where we have to sell tickets and do all our own promoting with zero promotion from the venue. I have no problem selling tickets and trying to get people to come, but the venue won't pay unless you draw x number of people or unless you win. Which when we sell $3,000 worth of tickets between two shows and the venue gives the 3 headliners $1,000 to split between the 3 bands and we don't see a penny, then it gets annoying.

Never encountered this particular situation, but we've played a few shows, mainly battle of the bands, where we have to sell tickets and do all our own promoting with zero promotion from the venue. I have no problem selling tickets and trying to get people to come, but the venue won't pay unless you draw x number of people or unless you win. Which when we sell $3,000 worth of tickets between two shows and the venue gives the 3 headliners $1,000 to split between the 3 bands and we don't see a penny, then it gets annoying.

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you are paying to play there bud. ticket sales is just pay to play with a new coat of paint.

Never encountered this particular situation, but we've played a few shows, mainly battle of the bands, where we have to sell tickets and do all our own promoting with zero promotion from the venue. I have no problem selling tickets and trying to get people to come, but the venue won't pay unless you draw x number of people or unless you win. Which when we sell $3,000 worth of tickets between two shows and the venue gives the 3 headliners $1,000 to split between the 3 bands and we don't see a penny, then it gets annoying.

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You have encountered and engaged in this exact situation. You should at least get a kiss from the promoter before the **&^%ing begins.